Japan Coach Explains Why Nigeria Won FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Final

According to a report by Daily Post on Sunday November 8, 2026, Japan head coach Sadayoshi Shirai has explained why his team lost to Nigeria’s Flamingos in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Nigeria defeated Japan 2-1 in Rabat, Morocco, on Saturday, November 7, to become the first African nation to win the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The historic victory was a major achievement for Nigerian football, with the Flamingos producing an impressive performance to overcome one of the strongest teams in the competition.

Goals from Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejaiku gave Nigeria a two-goal advantage before Fuki Ito scored for Japan late in the encounter.

However, Japan could not find another goal as Akeem Busari’s team held on to secure the trophy.

Speaking after the final, Shirai admitted that his players struggled to cope with Nigeria’s physical strength and pace, which he identified as major factors behind their defeat.

The Japanese coach revealed that his team already knew about the Flamingos’ strengths before the match but found it difficult to prevent them from causing problems, particularly with their runs behind the defence.

“First of all, I have to say that Nigeria were a very strong team. We understood their strengths, but there were moments when they managed to get in behind our defence,” Shirai told FIFA.

He also praised his players for their efforts, insisting that they fought hard throughout the encounter despite struggling against Nigeria’s athleticism.

“I think our players fought incredibly hard until the very end, doing everything they could to cope with Nigeria’s speed and physical power,” he added.

Shirai believes Japan might have had a better opportunity to win the final if they had managed to score earlier, especially during the periods when they were putting Nigeria under pressure.

“I also believe that if we had managed to score earlier, we might have had a better chance of winning the match,” he explained.

Despite the disappointment of losing the final, the Japanese manager urged his players to be proud of their performances throughout the tournament.

“I want them to be proud of themselves. The way they fought until the very end of this World Cup will have inspired many people, and I hope they can take confidence from that,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s triumph marked the end of an incredible campaign after the Flamingos lost their opening match against Poland.

Busari’s side responded impressively to that setback, defeating Puerto Rico, DPR Korea, Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil before overcoming Japan in the final.

Their semi-final victory over Brazil provided another indication of their quality and determination, but the final against Japan ultimately delivered the biggest moment in their history.

The Flamingos have now achieved something no other African team has managed in the competition, bringing the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup trophy to the continent for the first time.

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